


waiting for robin

by amuk



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 16:52:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18832753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amuk/pseuds/amuk
Summary: Robin wasn't dead. Even as her body disintegrated into the wind, removing even the faintest traces of her existence, everyone knew she'd be back. It'd take time, but she'd be back.The only problem was waiting was harder than anyone expected. Belief could only carry you so far.





	1. Another one bites the dust

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Into the Barracks Big Bang—my fic ended up a bit bigger than I expected, so I’ll be updating it as I go. I just keep adding all sorts of scenes I want and it's a pity that I have to marry off people to have the kids, because there would just be a ton of different romance scenes. And now there'll be a ton of romance scenes coached into friendship scenes. XD
> 
> You should check out https://eirelis.tumblr.com/post/184837284440/i-participated-in-awakening-arachneas-fea-big for the beautiful artwork drawn for this piece. :)

 

In the end, there wasn’t even a body to bury, for neither Grima nor the two Robins. Like petals scattered in the wind, their bodies disintegrated before everyone’s eyes and it was almost like they never were. Even Robin’s clothes vanished with her, as though to remove even the faintest trace of her existence.

 

The wind whistled through the rocky outcrop, reminding Frederick to breathe. To move. Time ticked ever forward and though the war was over, there was no guarantee there wasn’t another enemy nearby. He should do his duty and stand guard over his royal charges. At the very least, he should scan their surroundings.

 

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from where Robin had last stood, a smile on her face as she bid them farewell.

 

Frederick wasn’t the only one. Chrom’s fingers were still outstretched, as though to grasp some remnant of Robin from the air. “She’s gone,” he muttered as his hand curled into a fist, grabbing nothing. His arm fell to his side, his shoulders slumped forward. “She’s really gone.”

 

“They both are…” Lucina mumbled in disbelief, her head swivelling as she tried to comprehend what just happened. She loosened her grip on her sword, letting it fall slack. “Even…Grima…”

 

She didn’t sound like she believed the words, even as she said them, even though she had witnessed the dragon’s defeat herself. Frederick couldn’t blame her. He could barely wrap his head around the time travelling, let alone just who Robin had been.

 

Had been. Frederick hated how quickly past tense came to him, that not even for a moment he considered ‘was’. After all that death, all that loss, it had become second nature.

 

“Robin…no!” Lissa wailed, clutching her staff tightly. Tears slide down her cheek as she shook her head furiously. “She’s not gone.”

 

“Lissa,” Frederick gently admonished, reaching out to her.

 

Before he could touch her, she fell to her knees. Her staff fell to the ground as she rubbed her eyes. “She can’t be gone. She just can’t.”

 

 _Emmeryn can’t be dead_.

 

Frederick curled his hand into a fist, gritting his teeth. How many times had he heard that phrase, that denial? He had said them himself, just after Emmeryn had died. How stupid this was. Robin had appeared out of nowhere and just as suddenly, she had vanished without a trace. From the beginning to the end, Robin had defied any of Frederick’s norms.

 

Maybe they should have left her in that field. If only to spare them this heartbreak. Lissa’s cries were the only sound in this barren wasteland. She buried her face in her hands. Slowly, Frederick crouched next to her and patted her on the back.

 

“Is it over?” Sully rode up to them, the first to arrive as usual. The rest of their troops were dispatching the last remnants of the enemy. Her expression hard, she flicked blood off her sword.  “Grima’s gone?”

 

“Yeah.” Chrom finally turned away from the spot where Robin had disappeared. A bittersweet smile crossed his face as he gripped the falcon tightly. “We’re saved.”

 

It was an expression unbefitting a king but Frederick didn’t have the heart to correct him. Not this time, not after how quickly Chrom had to adapt to Emmeryn’s death. This time, he could mourn without having to rush from one battle to the next.

 

“We are?” Lucina looked at her father hopefully. She breathed in, breathed out, but that didn’t stop the trembling in her arms. Her voice wavered nervously. “Grima won’t come back?”

 

Joy and sorrow warred on Chrom’s expression before he finally shook his head. “No.” His eyes lowered, staring at his sword for a long moment before slowly sheathing it. Each movement was deliberate and Frederick could hear the closing of a chapter of their lives. “Thank’s to…” he choked, closing his eyes before pushing through it. “To Robin’s sacrifice, Grima will never come back.”

 

“Truly?” Lucina dropped her falcon and rushed to her father. Desperation tinged her voice as she stared intently into his eyes. Her voice cracked. “The future…the future’s safe?”

 

Still shaky, Chrom couldn’t do more than nod. It was all the reassurance Lucina needed before launching herself into his arms. Frederick had always seen Lucina as a stoic girl, the toll of responsibility at such a young age. He had been wrong—she took more after her father than he’d realized. Lucina’s expression crumbled and she cried, burying her face in her father’s tunic. She wailed, as though a dam had burst, and Frederick tore his eyes from the scene. It felt too private. Personal. It was nothing something Lucina would want others to witness.

 

Besides, he had someone else who needed his attention. Watching the scene, Lissa had lasted all of three seconds before weeping herself. Out of habit, he wrapped his arms around her, gently patting her back. If he were honest, Frederick felt pricks at the edges of his eyes, his sight blurry.

 

Awkwardly, Chrom stroked Lucina’s back. He glanced at her, then at the spot Robin had vanished. Biting his lip, he shook his head. “She’ll be back.”

 

Lucina’s sobs died down and she turned her head a little to hear him better. “What?”

 

“Robin,” Chrom answered, his voice stronger now. His arms tightened around Lucina. “She’ll be back. You heard Naga.”

 

Lissa hiccupped into Frederick’s shoulder. Wiping her tears, she curled her hand on Frederick’s armoured arm as she turned to face her brother. After a few seconds, she nodded, her expression just as confident as Chrom’s. “You’re right. She wouldn’t leave without goodbye.”

 

Chrom smiled at her gratefully. “We just have to wait for her.”

 

His expression was resolute and Frederick felt a surge of pride. That was a kingly expression. A flare of hope ran through him as he considering the idea. Robin, returning from whatever destruction had felled a great dragon.

 

Impossible. Truly impossible. Yet, if anyone could do it, it had to be the amnesic who won battle after battle and saved the world.

 

“We had better clean up then,” Frederick added, blinking away his own tears. “It would be terrible if she returned to this mess.”

 

Lissa looked up at him before chuckling. “Especially if she had to eat your bear jerky after all of this.”


	2. Pegasus knights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Metal clashed against metal, spear against spear, and Chrom paused to watch as Sumia and Cordelia sparred.

CLANG! Metal clashed against metal, spear against spear, and Chrom paused to watch as Sumia and Cordelia sparred. Mounted on their Pegasi, they swooped and soared high above the ground. Cordelia raised her lance as she suddenly rose, almost skimming the belly of Sumia’s steed. Even though the tips of these spears were blunted, Chrom almost cried out a warning.

 

Not that he needed to. At Sumia’s command, her Pegasus climbed higher and higher, barely dodging Cordelia’s second attack. Each pair moved like they were a single being, as though the Pegasi were merely an extension of their rider’s body. Smoothly, they flowed from position to the next as the two women duked it out. At the beginning of the war, Chrom would have declared Cordelia the superior fighter, from her time with the Pegasus knights.

 

Now, there was no clear victor. War had changed them both. Whatever clumsiness Sumia had on land, she showed none of it in battle. Their mounts tumbled through the air as each woman tried to find a window of opportunity, a single chance to overwhelm the other. Sumia rose, ready to drive her spear down, when she caught sight of Chrom.

 

It was like watching a carriage crash. Flushing like a cherry tomato, Sumia squeaked and dropped her lance. Cordelia swerved last minute to avoid knocking her friend off and Chrom quickly leaped away before he could get speared by the lost weapon. Mortified, Sumia clutched her head. “S-sorry Chrom!”

 

“Chrom?” Cordelia yelped, craning her neck as she looked down. Spotting him, she immediately sat up straight. No doubt she was embarrassed. However, she couldn’t compete with Sumia, who had buried her face in her Pegasus’ mane, a low moan escaping her lips. Composing herself, Cordelia gently steered both her and Sumia’s mount to the ground. “What brings you here?”

 

He glanced at Sumia, but she kept her face firmly pressed against her steed. Running a hand through his hair, Chrom felt awkward. It was just the sparring grounds, there was nothing to feel embarrassed about, but whatever Sumia had, it was clearly contagious.  “Nothing, I was just passing through. You’re both really impressive.”

 

Surprised, Cordelia blinked, before giving a small smile. “Thanks.” She patted her partner’s neck. “Without the war, it’s hard to make sure they get enough exercise. Besides, we can’t let our own skills get rusty.”

 

“I can’t imagine that you ever slack off in the first place.” Whether it was something as simple as sewing or as complicated as combat maneuver, Cordelia never tired in her efforts to ensure she mastered it entirely. Chrom was pretty sure he’d never seen her rest.

 

Sumia slipped off her Pegasus’ back, her face still buried in its mane. Muffled, she apologized profusely. “Ohhhh, I’m so sorry. I could have killed you! That was…I’m just a mess.”

 

As she wailed, Chrom gingerly reached out and patted her back gently. “No, I should have warned you. But I was just…mesmerized watching you two. You were amazing up there.”

 

She peeked up, teary. “Really?”

 

“Yeah.” Oh good. Lissa had told him his comforting skills needed work, but this time there were no issues. “You both are really skilled.”

 

“Thanks.” Cordelia tucked her hair behind her ear, pleased. “I…I was wondering…” She bit her lip, trailing off hesitantly.

 

It was rare to see the ever-confident Cordelia so tongue-tied. Chrom gently prodded her to continue. “What?”

 

“The Pegasus Knights. I…I want to rebuild it.” Cordelia swallowed before giving him a steely look. “It won’t end with me.”

 

There was no doubt in her eyes, no wavering in her voice. The mark of a true commander and maybe that was why her team had spared her, sending her back to avoid certain doom. Chrom nodded approvingly. “Their legacy is in good hands.”

 

Her expression brightened and she relaxed. “Thank you.” Turning to Sumia, she grabbed her hand and pulled her toward stables. Obediently, both of their steeds followed along behind them. “Come on, we have work to do.”

 

“W-w-we?” Sumia swallowed, looking down at their clasped hands. She quickly glanced behind her. Spotting no one, she turned back, pointing at her chest. “ME?”

 

“Who else?” Cordelia’s brow rose, an amused smile on her face. Chrom covered his mouth, unable to resist the urge to snicker.

 

“But me?” Sumia covered her face with her free hand. “Ohhh, I knew I should have done a petal fortune this morning.”


	3. ghost of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chrom looked over his shoulder for Robin’s familiar figure, for a nose buried in yet another strategy book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> watch as I really slowly lose linear coherency despite my best efforts.

 

“This town is in dire need of food,” Chrom muttered, running a hand through his hair. Seated in his study, he quickly flipped through the latest stack of papers on his desk. No matter how long he spent in here, the pile never shrank. Reparations, repairs, requests, there was no shortage to what his people needed. To what their continent needed. The scars of war took a long time to heal and they had fought three of them in the span of a few years.

 

Out of all of the kingdoms, his had suffered the least and for that he was glad. It was hard enough to deal with Plegia and Valm, who were in dire straits, without having to worry about more than just Ylisse’s border villages. There were only so much food, money, and resources, and Chrom had to choose who to help first, who to ignore.

 

Who could go with, and those who would have to go without. It was at times like these that he was reminded just why he wasn’t a strategist.

 

“What do you think, Ro—” Chrom looked over his shoulder for Robin’s familiar figure, for a nose buried in yet another strategy book.

 

Behind him, there was just an open window, the sunlight pouring in. This office was empty aside from him. A burning sensation ran up his throat. The papers crinkled as he tightened his grip on them. Turning back, he swallowed. “I…maybe I can divert them from the town nearby…”


	4. absence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sully saw less and less of the children these days.

 

Sully slowly made her way up the winding, stone staircase. It was strange to not hear the usual accompanying clank, but for once she wasn’t on guard duty and there was no need to always be prepared for battle. That was what peace meant, after all. Still, she missed the heavy armour that had been a second skin.

 

A light breeze wafted down to her. Looking up, she spotted a small opening in the parapets. Good, that meant she was getting close to the top. This tower had the best view of sunrise and it had been too long since Sully had last stood there. Hurrying her pace, she ran up the stairs until she finally emerged from the exit and onto the balcony.

 

All of Ylisstol spread out before her. Small fires here and there sent up dark clouds of smoke, the earliest workers getting up and setting up shop. A patrol walked along the street below her. Even now, they still needed guards manning the key points of the city. Peace never lasted forever. They had learned that all too well.

 

Sully glanced behind her, into the castle’s courtyards and sparring grounds. Kjelle stood in one of them, her spear in hand. She raised her arm, taking a step back, before hurling the weapon at the target in front of her. As usual, her aim was true and she struck the straw effigy right in its chest.

 

“Ha.” Sully guffawed, amused. Her daughter clearly took after her. There was always time to practice, to improve. The other children could learn a thing or two from her.

 

Actually. Thinking it over now, Sully quickly scanned the castle grounds once more. Back when they were on the warpath, the children were always alert. Whether is was their turn to guard or not, it was not an unusual sight to find one or more of them tending the fire and watching out for Risen.

 

A by-product of their childhood, no doubt. A lifetime spent at the edge of war was something that would take more than a few reassurances to get over.

 

It was precisely for that reason Sully found it odd that she could only find Kjelle right now. Now that she thought of it, she had been seeing less and less of the time-travellers. Before, Sully had chalked it up as her imagination; they had all changed duties after all.

 

Now, though, she wasn’t so sure.


End file.
